Ten Killed in Israeli Strikes and Clashes in Gaza, Local Sources Report

According to local reports, at least 10 Palestinians were killed in Israeli air strikes and violent confrontations between Hamas and an Israel-aligned Palestinian group in central Gaza. The attacks reportedly targeted Hamas security officers involved in clashes with the militia east of the Maghazi refugee camp. However, the exact number of casualties from the strikes versus the ground battles remains uncertain.

A hospital spokesperson in Deir al-Balah confirmed that ten bodies were delivered to the facility, while dozens of others sustained injuries, some in critical condition. Neither the Israeli military nor Hamas has issued an immediate response to the incident. The timeline of Monday’s events is still under investigation, though witnesses claim the pro-Israel militia established a checkpoint where they faced an assault from Hamas security forces, prompting further conflict.

Witnesses also noted that Israeli drones provided support to the militia, conducting strikes on Hamas personnel across three locations. Both Israel and Hamas have accused each other of repeatedly breaching the ceasefire they agreed upon nearly six months ago. Since that agreement, the Hamas-controlled health ministry in Gaza reports 723 Palestinian deaths from Israeli attacks. The Israeli military states five of its soldiers have been killed in retaliatory strikes by Palestinian groups during the same period.

Disarmament as a Key Issue

The issue of disarming Palestinian groups has emerged as a central obstacle in advancing the second phase of U.S. President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan. Last week, a Hamas delegation engaged with Egyptian, Qatari, and Turkish mediators in Cairo to address a proposal from the U.S.-led Peace Board for Palestinian factions to dismantle their weapons. On Sunday, a Hamas military wing spokesperson rejected disarmament discussions until Israel fulfills its obligations under the first phase of the plan.

“We will not accept raising the issue of weapons in this crude manner,” said Abu Ubaida, referencing the death of his namesake in an Israeli strike last year. “What the enemy failed to take from us through tanks and destruction, it will not take from us via politics or at the negotiating table.”

Abu Ubaida further tied Hamas’s struggle in Gaza to the broader geopolitical conflict involving Israel, the U.S., and Iran along with its allies. He commended the missile, drone, and rocket attacks launched by Iranian-backed groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen, calling them an “extension” of the conflict initiated by Hamas on 7 October 2023.

The Gaza war began with the Hamas-orchestrated attack on southern Israel on that day, which resulted in approximately 1,200 casualties and 251 hostages taken. In response, Israel launched a military operation against Hamas in Gaza, during which over 72,300 people have reportedly died, per the territory’s health ministry.